US Open champion Serena Williams has said that boxing legend Muhammad Ali is an individual that has inspired her throughout her career.
The 30-year-old collected her 15th Grand Slam singles title by beating world number one Victoria Azarenka 6-2 2-6 7-5 on Saturday evening.
"I really think a champion is defined not by their wins but by how they can recover when they fall," said Williams.
"I have fallen several times. Each time I just get up and I dust myself off and I pray I'm able to do better or able to get back to the level that I want to be on.
"I think, for me, you see great people like Muhammad Ali, for instance, who is a person I have always looked up to in sports."
Ali and Williams are both Olympic gold medal winners. Ali's sole triumph came in the 1960 Rome Games as a light-heavyweight, while Williams was a champion in Sydney, Beijing and twice in London.
